My Story - Using My Experience to Support Women in Crisis Pregnancies

I was 21 when I first saw the plus sign. You know the one - on the pregnancy test. I remember taking the test in private, so my roomate wouldn’t know. What would she think of me? I also remember how fast the results showed up on the test. My heart raced as I stood there staring at the test, feeling a sense of unreality engulf me. The directions said I would have to wait up to three minutes for the results, but the plus sign magically appeared in less than 30 seconds, bright and bold.I felt like I couldn’t tell anyone, not even the father. I have to say that I didn’t really know him that well. I had no idea how he would react, and I felt sure that he wouldn’t support me. I felt so alone.When the news finally broke I received mixed reactions. People told me what to do. As if they knew . . . They didn’t know. From the moment I knew I was going to be a mother I cherished the new life to come. I didn’t know that I would also receive new life as a result of my situation.

I was adamant that I would not have an abortion and that I would raise my child myself. Miraculously, God placed people in my life to support me during this turbulent, emotionally exhausting time in my life. I went through the pregnancy and delivered a beautiful baby boy. Jacob. “The Supplanter.”

The meaning of his name became the nature of his presence in my life. He supplanted the things in my life that had seemed so important before. I found that God was the only one I could lean on, and I saw Him work in my life through Jacob to move me from a life of hopelessness to a life of joy. My old life was filled with a selfish pursuit of happiness and my new life is chasing Jesus.

Today, Jacob is a proud big brother, the oldest of three boys. God has blessed me beyond all I could ask or imagine, and He can bless you, too.

I have used my personal experience to do some peer counseling at my local crisis pregnancy center. Now that my days are so busy with taking care of my kids I want to reach out to others online who need support during their crisis pregnancies. This blog exists as a forum for women to share their experiences, be lifted up in prayer and encouraging words, and as a guide to resources that provide valuable information about pregnancy, parenting, budgeting, and physical and emotional health.

If you are in a crisis pregnancy, you are not alone! Please share your story, whatever your situation is. I would love to hear about your experiences.